545 Best Sights in Japan

Located outside of Matsue City in neighboring Yasugi, The Adachi Museum of Art is well worth the trip. The gardens around the museum are some of the most breathtaking in all of Japan. The path around the gardens reveals new delights around every corner. Adding to their beauty is the borrowed landscape backdrop of low hills and forests beyond. The museum interior has a large selection of 19th- and 20th-century Japanese masters as well as temporary exhibitions throughout the year. The museum runs free shuttle buses every 30 minutes from Yasugi Station which take 20 minutes. Yasugi Station is 27 minutes east of Matsue Station on the local train (¥420). Try to time your arrival close to the museum opening hour of 9 am to avoid group tours, which start arriving around 10:30.

The most unusual feature of this temple is its cemetery, where about 8,000 stone images stand, a solemn sea of silent mourners. The statues honor the many nameless dead who fell victim to the tumult of pre-Edo Japan and were abandoned in the outskirts of the city, burned here in mass pyres. On August 23 and 24, a ceremony called Sento-kuyo is held here, with more than 1,000 candles lighted for the peaceful repose of these spirits. Whatever time of year you visit, the quiet repose of the multitude of images will make a lasting impression. The temple's main hall, built in 1712, contains an arresting statue of Amida Buddha carved by the Kamakura-era sculptor Tankei.

This ruin is a poignant symbol of man's self-destructiveness. It was the city's old Industrial Promotion Hall, and it stands in stark contrast to the new Hiroshima, which hums along close by. Despite being directly below the bomb blast, the building did not collapse into rubble like the rest of the city. Eerie, twisted, and charred, the iron-and-concrete dome has stood darkly brooding next to the river, basically untouched since that horrible morning. The sad old building's foreboding, derelict appearance can be emotionally overwhelming. The site is just outside the official northeast boundary of Peace Memorial Park. Take Tram 2 or 6 from Hiroshima Station to the Gembaku-Domu-mae stop.

In 1083 the Fujiwara no Yorimichi, a member of a very powerful clan, built this villa, a UNESCO World Heritage site whose image graces the face of ¥10 coins. The main building, the Amida-do, is known as the Phoenix Hall, owing to the sweep of its curved roofline. A large statue of Amida Buddha, compassionate and benevolent, sits in repose as he views those below him. Small mounted images of bosatsu (enlightened beings) drift through clouds, playing instruments and dancing, an 11th-century image of paradise. The landscaped garden and pond reflect Amida's paradise. A video in the museum takes viewers back a millennium to demonstrate what the original bright colors would have looked like. Other small images of the 52 small wooden kuyo or reverent bosatsu have been put on display here.

Founded in AD 850, this temple's highlight is its Konjikido (Golden Hall), which was completed in 1124. The first Ou Fujiwara lord, Kiyohara, commissioned many temples and pagodas during his reign, perhaps as many as 40, not to mention residences for 300 priests. Nearly all were destroyed by fire except for Konjikido, and it is the only structure in Chuson-ji that remains unchanged. More than 3,000 objects have survived and are now kept in the treasure house (Sankozo Museum). It's a 20-minute walk from JR Hiraizumi Station or a 10-minute bus ride.

Daisetsuzan, which means "great snow mountain," refers to the park's five major peaks, whose altitudes approach 7,560 feet. They are climbable even by moderately experienced hikers, with a ring trail that is best done in summer. But you can also catch a bus or train or even drive just south of Asahikawa and simply enjoy the picturesque region.

On the park's east side is Soun-kyo, but on its unconnected west side, two spa towns serve as summer hiking centers and winter ski resorts. Shirogane Onsen, at 2,461 feet, has had especially good skiing since its mountain, Tokachi-dake, erupted in 1962 and 1988, creating a superb ski bowl. At Asahidake Onsen you can take a cable car (¥2,000 one way, ¥3,200 round trip) up Asahi-dake to an altitude of 5,250 feet and hike for two hours to the 7,513-foot summit. In late spring and early summer the slopes are carpeted with alpine flowers. Serious skiers come for Japan's longest ski season.

This temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is as majestic as the mountain where it is located. Mt. Hiei has a long and entangled history with the capital, an involved and intriguing involvement with the court and the stronghold of warrior monks it became. More than a millennium ago, the priest Dengyo-Daishi (767–822), also known as Saicho, was given imperial permission to build a temple to protect the city against misfortune it was believed would emanate from the northeast. The temple grew in wealth and power and became a training place for monks-turned-warriors to force the Imperial Court to accede to its leaders' demands. The power accrued over the centuries lasting until Nobunaga Oda, the general who helped unify Japan and ended more than a century of civil strife, destroyed the complex in 1571.

The current temple is divided into three complexes—Todo, Saito, and Yokawa—that date from the 17th century. The Kompon Chu-do hall in Todo has a massive copper roof in the irimoya-zukuri layered style. Its dark, cavernous interior conveys the mysticism for which the Tendai sect is known. Giant pillars and a coffered ceiling shelter the central altar, which is surrounded by religious images. You can kneel with worshippers on a dais above the shadowy recess containing the smaller altars, an arrangement that looks upon the enshrined deities. The interior, darkened by the smoke of centuries of lighted candles, conveys a sense of spirituality even among nonbelievers. Each of the ornate oil lanterns hanging before the altar represents a stage of enlightenment. Near the main hall, a mausoleum contains the remains of Saicho.

Saito is a 25-minute walk from Todo along a stairway lined with stone lanterns. The ancient wooden temple in the Yokawa complex has been replaced with a concrete structure, dimming some of its allure, though like Todo and Saito it remains remarkable for its longevity and active religious rites. The mountain-top temple complex can be accessed from either the west (Kyoto side) or the east (Shiga/Lake Biwa side).

This shrine's thousands of red gates may well be the quintessential image of Japan. The gates line the path up the mountainside, parted at irregular intervals by shrines, altars, mausoleums, and hundreds of foxes in stone and bronze. This is the central headquarters for 40,000 shrines nationally that pay tribute to Inari, the god of rice, sake, and prosperity. As Japan's economic focus shifted from agriculture to other businesses, Inari was adopted as the patron deity of any kind of entrepreneurial venture—the gates in the path are donated by businesses from around the country seeking a blessing. Walking the whole circuit takes about two hours, a bit longer if you stop at the shops selling snacks along the way. Hikers can continue up the path and follow it along the Higashiyama Range and into central Kyoto.

Opposite Ogi-machi, on the banks of the Sho-gawa, this open-air museum has 26 traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. The houses were transplanted from four villages that fell prey to the Miboro Dam, built upriver in 1972. Over the years a colony of artisans has established itself in the village. From mid-April to mid-October, you can watch them creating folk crafts like weaving, pottery, woodwork, and hand-dyeing in a few of the preserved houses, and try some crafts for yourself. Many of the products are for sale. In winter, stop by the "rest station" gassho-zukuri to warm up with tea by an irori hearth. Keep in mind that individual houses do close irregularly.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion) was intended to impress the courtly world with its opulence, but the current structure is actually an exercise in elegance and restraint. Yoshimasa Ashikaga spent years constructing his retirement villa in a conspicuous homage to his grandfather's Golden Pavilion on the west side of town. The shogun wanted the large hall here to be wrapped in silver leaf, but during construction in the 1470s a tumultuous war and government unrest left the clan bereft of funds. Today an elaborate entryway of stone, bamboo, and hedge lead into a modest compound of buildings giving way to extensive gardens. The Silver Pavilion, which stares down at its reflection in the water, sits among the rolling moss-covered hillsides, dark pools, and an enormous dry garden, called the Sea of Sand.

Ginzan Onsen is known for its unique landscape and distinguished Taisho period (1912–26) architectural design. A flood once destroyed the village in the valley, but it sprung back up with 14 ryokan. A magnificent wooden four-story ryokan from there is depicted in Miyazaki's animated film Spirited Away. The Hanagasa dance shows take place Saturday evenings from May to October. From Yamagata, take a train to JR Oishida Station, then hop on the Hanagasa-Go bus bound for Ginzan Onsen (45 minutes).

Ginzan is another relaxing hot spring close to both Yamagata and Sendai, but this one is more isolated than Sakunami. It's about two to three hours from Sendai by bus, but probably more accessible from JR Oishida Station using the Hanagasa-Go bus, which takes about 45 minutes depending on the season.

This garden contains an impressive assortment of 19th-century Western houses. Greco-Roman porticoes and arches, wooden verandas, and other random elements of European architecture adorn the structures, which are often crowned with Japanese-style roofs. The main attraction is the 1863 mansion of Thomas Glover, a prominent Scottish merchant who introduced steam locomotives and industrial coal mining to Japan. Escalators whisk you up the steep hillside to the gardens, where you can admire the views of Nagasaki and the harbor.

These shrines are rebuilt every 20 years, in accordance with Shinto tradition. To begin a new generational cycle, exact replicas of the previous halls are erected with new wood, using the same centuries-old methods, on adjacent sites. The old buildings are then dismantled. The main halls you see now—the 62nd set—were completed in 2013 at an estimated cost of more than ¥5.5 billion. For the Japanese, importance is found in the form of the buildings; the vintage of the materials is of little concern. You cannot enter any of the buildings, but the tantalizing glimpses of the main halls that you catch while walking the grounds add to the mystique of the site. Both Grand Shrines exhibit a natural harmony that the more-contrived buildings in later Japanese architecture do not.

Deep in a park of ancient Japanese cedars, Geku, dating from AD 477, is dedicated to Toyouke Omikami, goddess of agriculture. Its buildings are simple, predating the 6th-century Chinese and Korean influence. It's made from unpainted hinoki (cypress), with a closely cropped thatched roof. You can see very little of the exterior of Geku—only its roof and glimpses of its walls—and none of the interior. Four fences surround the shrine, and only the Imperial Family and their envoys may enter. Geku is a five-minute walk southwest of Ise-Shi Station or a 10-minute walk west of Uji-Yamada Station.

The even more venerated Naiku is 6 km (4 miles) southeast of Geku. Naiku is said to be where the Yata-no-Kagami (Sacred Mirror) is kept, one of the three sacred treasures of the imperial regalia. The shrine, reputed to date from 4 BC, also houses the spirit of the sun goddess Amaterasu, who Japanese mythology says was born of the left eye of Izanagi, one of the first two gods to inhabit the earth. According to legend, Amaterasu was the great-great-grandmother of the first mortal emperor of Japan, Jimmu. Thus, she is revered as the country's ancestral goddess-mother and guardian deity. The Inner Shrine's architecture is simple. If you did not know its origin, you might call it classically modern. The use of unpainted cypress causes Naiku to blend into the ancient forest encircling it. To get to Naiku, take Bus 51 or 55 from Uji-Yamada Station or in front of Geku to the Naiku-mae bus stop, which is right in front of the shrine. The ride takes about 20 minutes and costs ¥440.

This tiny garden was built by Kim Yeocheol, who later became Naokata Wakita when he married into the ruling Kanazawa family. Yeocheol was the son of a Korean captive brought to Japan in the late 16th century. He became a wealthy merchant, using his fortune to build this quiet getaway. The garden's intimate tranquility stems from the imaginative and subtle arrangement of moss, maple trees, and small stepping stones by the pond. Two waterfalls that gracefully form the Chinese character for mizu (water) feed the pond. The garden is markedly different from the bold strokes of Kenroku Garden. You can have tea and sweets here for ¥1,500 (admission included).

The only temple in Kamakura facing the sea, this is one of the most beautiful, and saddest, places of pilgrimage in the city. On a landing partway up the stone steps that lead to the temple grounds are hundreds of small stone images of Jizo, one of the bodhisattvas in the Buddhist pantheon. Jizo is the savior of children, particularly the souls of the stillborn, aborted, and miscarried; the mothers of these children dress the statues of Jizo in bright red bibs and leave them small offerings of food, heartbreakingly touching acts of prayer.

The Kannon Hall (Kannon-do) at Hase-dera enshrines the largest carved-wood statue in Japan: the votive figure of Juichimen Kannon, the 11-headed goddess of mercy. Standing 30 feet tall, the goddess bears a crown of 10 smaller heads, symbolizing her ability to search out in all directions for those in need of her compassion. No one knows for certain when the figure was carved. According to the temple records, a monk named Tokudo Shonin carved two images of the Juichimen Kannon from a huge laurel tree in 721. One was consecrated to the Hase-dera in present-day Nara Prefecture; the other was thrown into the sea in order to go wherever the sea decided that there were souls in need, and that image washed up on shore near Kamakura. Much later, in 1342, Takauji Ashikaga—the first of the 15 Ashikaga shoguns who followed the Kamakura era—had the statue covered with gold leaf.

The Amida Hall of Hase-dera enshrines the image of a seated Amida Buddha, who presides over the Western Paradise of the Pure Land. Minamoto no Yoritomo ordered the creation of this statue when he reached the age of 42; popular Japanese belief, adopted from China, holds that your 42nd year is particularly unlucky. Yoritomo's act of piety earned him another 11 years—he was 53 when he was thrown by a horse and died of his injuries. The Buddha is popularly known as the yakuyoke (good luck) Amida, and many visitors—especially students facing entrance exams—make a point of coming here to pray. To the left of the main halls is a small restaurant where you can buy good-luck candy and admire the view of Kamakura Beach and Sagami Bay.

These traditional farmhouses, dating from the Edo period, were transplanted from all over the region. Many of the houses are A-frames with thatch roofs called gassho-zukuri (praying hands). A dozen of the buildings are "private houses" displaying folk artifacts like tableware and weaving tools. Another five houses are folk-craft workshops, with demonstrations of ichii ittobori (wood carving), Hida-nuri (Hida lacquering), and other traditional regional arts, as well as hands-on crafting experiences. It's possible to walk here from Takayama Station, or take a 10-minute bus ride.

Displays of models, charred fragments of clothing, melted ceramic tiles, lunch boxes, watches, and shocking photographs tell Hiroshima's story of death and destruction. A visit here may be too intense for some (especially children), but to appreciate the horror of the bombing and the hope that made Hiroshima into the city it is today, this museum is highly recommended. The heat-ray-photographed human shadow permanently imprinted on granite steps can take you well beyond sadness, and the Dalí-esque watch forever stopped at 8:15 is chilling. Most exhibits have brief explanations in English, and more-detailed information is on the audio tour, which you can rent separately.

Hokkaido is the southermost point of the northern community of the Ainu. This museum's delightful exhibits link the polar indigenous people, such as the Ainu, Inuits, and Sami (or Lapps) in a way that shows surprising similarities over wide spaces. Displays compare and contrast the kitchen implements, clothing, and hunting tools of various cultures from northern Japan, the neighboring Russian island of Sakhalin, and the northern parts of America and Eurasia. English-language pamphlets are available. Of particular interest are videos depicting life in the frozen north, such as building igloos. The museum is 5 km (3 miles) from JR Abashiri Station inside Okhotsk Park.

Follow the long gravel paths under Maruyama Park's tall cypress trees until you come to the main gate of what looks like a fortress. Before entering, wash your hands and rinse your mouth at the stone basin, then climb the stone steps to Hokkaido's loveliest Shinto shrine. Hokkaido Jingu, originally built in 1871, honors the gods of land and nature, of land development, and of healing. To this day, families with babies, anxious students facing exams, and young engaged couples seek blessings under Shinto ceremonies. In May this is the city's main viewing spot for cherry blossoms, and as the year comes to a close it's coin-tossing central for those wishing for a better future.

On the outskirts of Mt. Atagoyama is a temple district where a dozen temples are clustered. This one houses 499 statues of Buddha's disciples that were carved between 1731 and 1735, in a time of severe famine and increased religious devotion. Each is unique, and if you look hard, you will see disciples laughing, chatting with their neighbors, eating, drinking, and even napping. Behind Ho-Onji are a small cemetery and a tranquil Japanese garden. Monks ring a bell periodically; the sounds echo through the premises and the city. It is a bit out of the way, but if you enjoy wooden architecture, you will not be disappointed.

The strength of the collection in these four spacious, well-designed rooms lies in the Tang- and Song-dynasty Chinese porcelain and in the Japanese ceramics—including works by Nonomura Ninsei and Ogata Kenzan. On display are masterpieces of Old Seto, Oribe, Old Kutani, Karatsu, and Kakiemon ware. The museum also houses outstanding examples of Zen painting and calligraphy, wood-block prints, and genre paintings of the Edo period. Of special interest to scholars is the resource collection of shards from virtually every pottery-making culture of the ancient world. The museum is on the ninth floor of the Teikoku Gekijo building, which looks down upon the lavish Imperial Garden. Check ahead on the website to see if reservations are required when you plan to visit.

Formerly part of the grounds of Edo Castle, this garden was claimed for the imperial family after the 1868 Meiji Restoration. Though most of the old castle was torn down or lost to fire, the stone foundations hint at the scale of the country's former seat of power. In the East Gardens you'll find the National Police Agency dojo (martial arts hall) and the Ote Rest House; the Museum of the Imperial Collection is next door and features rotating exhibits of imperial household treasures. The Hundred-Man Guardhouse was once defended by four shifts of 100 soldiers each. Past it is the entrance to what was once the ni-no-maru, the "second circle" of the fortress. It's now a grove and garden. At the far end is the Suwa Tea Pavilion, an early-19th-century building relocated here from another part of the castle grounds. The octagonal tower is the 1966 Tokagakudo Concert Hall.

A wonderland of indoor and outdoor sculpture both playful and profound, this facility occupies the former studio and grounds of the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904–88). The modernist artist, whose large-scale sculptures grace buildings, parks, and gardens around the world, was also known for his furniture (most notably the Noguchi table), lamps, and landscape architecture. The artist's sensitivity and expressiveness are in evidence everywhere on this site that exhibits his works in stone and other media.

Officially, visitation requires reservation by fax or email at least 10 days in advance, but if you call the museum you might be able to gain entrance on shorter notice. One advantage to early booking, though, is that you'll have a better chance of having an English speaker accompany you as you tour.

A 15-minute walk from Dogo Onsen, Ishite Temple is Shingon Buddhism at play. Half serene pilgrimage destination, half ancient Buddhist-themed fun park, the temple is more than worth a visit. As sprawling and elegantly unkempt as the city around it, it contains surprises that are, like the temple cats, too numerous to count.

Enter the temple by way of a stone road that's flanked by wooden stalls with vendors selling calligraphy brushes, omiyage-paper fortunes, and pilgrimage gear. Just inside the colossal temple gate you'll see a table for folding origami cranes; make one and it will be added to the heavy, colorful bunches hanging around the pillars. Past the cranes lies the main hall of worship, where you're likely to see a pilgrim or two chanting a sutra. In the surrounding area you'll also see painted panels, golden statues, a giant mandala on the stairway to the main shrine, a wooden kami (spirit) with a sword you can heft, and a huge bronze bell to ring (¥100).

It's serene and memorable, but the real fun at Ishite-ji Temple starts in a long, dark cave to the left of the main worship hall. It feels impossibly long, and when you finally emerge on the other side—past startling wooden statues and 88 stone Buddhas—you'll be confronted by a 100-foot statue of the priest Kobo Daishi striding across the mountains. The mountain behind the temple also holds a few surprises: a scrambling rock pathway leads up the mountain, where two spooky caves are yours to explore (even most locals don't know about them).

Nature has arrayed a shrine of its own to compliment the ornate but somehow subdued structures: a lofty ridge of forested peaks rises behind, a boulevard of fragrant ancient pines lines the approach, and lush green lawns flank both sides. Pilgrims come here primarily to pray for success in courtship and marriage.

The honden (main building) dates from 1744 and most of the other were buildings from 1688 onward. The architectural style, with its saddled crests and ornamental roof fixtures resembling crossed swords, is said to be unique to the Izumo region, but some similarities with the main Shinto shrine on the Kii Peninsula can be noted. The taisha is dedicated to a male god, Okuninushi, the creator of the land and god of marriage and fortune. Instead of clapping twice, as at other shrines, you should clap four times—twice for yourself, and twice for your current or future partner. According to folklore, if you successfully throw a ¥5 coin so that it sticks up into the sacred hanging strands of the enormously thick 5-ton, 25 foot-long twisted straw rope, or shimenawa, suspended above the entrance to the main building, you will be doubly assured of good luck in marriage. It is almost impossible to do without some kind of cheating—which may say something about the difficulties of marriage.

Two rectangular buildings on either side of the compound are believed to house the visiting millions of Shinto gods during the 10th lunar month of each year. In the rest of Japan the lunar October is referred to as “Kannazuki” (month without gods), while in Izumo, October is called “Kamiarizuki” (month with gods). The shrine is a five-minute walk north, to the right along the main street, from Izumo Taisha-mae Station.

The former residence of the Kamihaga family, which established the city's wax industry, is now a well-maintained museum. Exhibits here explain the rise and fall of this once-thriving industry. Comprehensive English signage and hands-on exhibits teach you more than you thought there was to know about the changing fortunes of this wax town.

Established in AD 733, Jindai-ji is the second-oldest temple in Tokyo, after Senso-ji in Asakusa. Like Senso-ji, fires have meant Jindai-ji has been through several rebuilds, most recently in the early 1900s, although its delightful wooden main gate still dates to 1695. That’s where the comparisons end, because where Senso-ji is surrounded by urban sprawl, Jindai-ji is enshrouded in peaceful woods that help give the grounds a serene feeling. Instead of Senso-ji’s bustling Nakamise-dori approach, Jindai-ji has the rustic Monzen-machi street lined with old wood buildings selling snacks and soba noodles.

The temple also feels more spiritual, especially if you come for the daily Goma fire ceremonies held in the main hall, where monks set alight sticks representing human desires to burn away the root of suffering. Arguably the highlight, however, is the bronze gilded statue of the Hakuhoh Buddha dating to the late Asuka Period (AD 592–710). Only 84 cm (33 inches) in height, it’s nevertheless priceless. Yet, remarkably, it had been thought lost until 1909, when a monk found it hidden under one of the temple's floorboards.

Goma ceremonies last 30 minutes and are held at 11 and 2 on weekdays, 11, 1, and 2 on weekends. To have a stick burned on your behalf, apply at the main hall (¥3,000).

The single biggest attraction in Hase is the Great Buddha—sharing the honors with Mt. Fuji, perhaps, as the quintessential picture-postcard image of Japan. The statue of the compassionate Amida Buddha sits cross-legged in the temple courtyard. The 37-foot bronze figure was cast in 1292, three centuries before Europeans reached Japan; the concept of the classical Greek lines in the Buddha's robe must have come over the Silk Route through China during the time of Alexander the Great. The casting was probably first conceived in 1180, by Minamoto no Yoritomo, who wanted a statue to rival the enormous Daibutsu in Nara. Until 1495 the Amida Buddha was housed in a wooden temple, which washed away in a great tidal wave.

It may seem sacrilegious to walk inside the Great Buddha, but for ¥200 you can enter the figure from a doorway in the right side and explore his stomach, with a stairway that leads up to two windows in his back, offering a stunning view of the temple grounds (open until 4:15 pm). To reach Kotoku-in and the Great Buddha, take the Enoden Line from the west side of JR Kamakura Station three stops to Hase. From the East Exit, turn right and walk north about 10 minutes on the main street (Route 32).

Considered the epitome of beauty, culture, landscape, and architecture, the Imperial Villa is highly regarded here and abroad. The landscape architect Enshu Kobori (1579–1647) employed aesthetic gardening concepts founded on shin-gyo-so (formal, semiformal, informal) principles that imbue every pathway with a special beauty. Kobori incorporated horticultural references to famous Japanese literature, including The Tale of Genji, and natural sites.

Built in the 17th century for Prince Toshihito, brother of Emperor Go-yozei, Katsura is in southwestern Kyoto near the western bank of the Katsura River. Bridges constructed from earth, stone, and wood connect five islets in the pond, some moss-covered, softened by the ages yet as fresh as rain.

The villa is fairly remote from other historical sites. Allow several hours for a visit, for which you must secure permission from the Imperial Household Agency in Kyoto, by filling out and submitting a form on the agency's website, or by assembling at 11 am at the site to gain admission if space allows.